Russian Profile
Dietary Concerns

Victor bemoans the fact that in America, most produce is grown using chemicals - fertilizers, pesticides or both. In rural Russia, most people grow their own vegetables - primarily carrots, beets and potatoes. The vegetables are often stored in a basement or a special underground shed. Many city-dwellers have small houses, called dachas, in the country so that they can also grow their own vegetables. They often will store their vegetables on balconies off their apartments, to keep them cool and dry. Produce is also sold at open-air markets and small street side stands in both the city and the country, particularly during the summer months.

Russian women spend a lot of time in the kitchen making food from scratch. Microwave meals simply aren't as readily available in Russia, but many Russian women - when they have the time - continue to prepare foods in the same way, even once they have settled in America. For example, Vera will grab a Cup of Noodles for lunch, but she likes to make soup "from scratch" once a week.

Soup is often an essential part of both lunch and dinner for Russians. Vera stresses the importance of eating warm things; eating warm things can prevent the stomach problems caused by "dry foods" such as sandwiches and pizza. Many Russians also drink tea with each meal - from zavtrak (breakfast) to yjin (dinner). Russians sometimes drink "mineral water" (carbonated water), but it is usually at room temperature and rarely with ice. Russians fear that cold beverages can contribute to illness.

Traditional Russian foods include blini, borscht, shchi, ikra (caviar), venigret, shashlik, pelmini and cutletki. Blini are thin pancakes, like crepes. At breakfast they are often served with jam and sugar, but later in the day one might fill them with caviar and butter. Borscht is probably the best-known Russian food; it is a bright red soup that gets its color from grated beets. However, the main ingredient in both borscht and shchi is shredded cabbage. Shchi is a soup that tastes a lot like borscht, but lacks the beets (and the red color).

Ikra, or caviar, is not considered a delicacy in Russia the way it is in the United States. Butter and caviar spread on dark brown bread is a common mid-afternoon snack. Venigret is one of many Russian cold salads. It contains cubed potatoes, small chunks of beet, pickles and dill. Whenever a Russian is entertaining, many salads are usually on hand for the occasion. Other common salads include carrot salad, herring salad and tomato and cucumber salad.

Finally, Russians have a special affinity for dairy products. There is a much wider variety of dairy products in Russia, including kefir (sour milk) and smetana (something in between mayonnaise and sour cream). Vera notes that Russians think that dairy products are a crucial part of good nutrition, perhaps more than their American counterparts.